Bangladeshi convict sentenced to life term in Ranaghat nun rape case

Kolkata, Nov 8 (IANS) A court here on Wednesday sentenced Bangladeshi citizen Nazrul Islam to life imprisonment in the sensational Ranaghat nun rape case, and sent his five accomplices to ten years prison for criminal conspiracy and dacoity.

City Sessions Judge Kumkum Sinha had on Tuesday held Islam guilty of rape, criminal conspiracy and dacoity. The others were convicted of criminal conspiracy and dacoity.

On Wednesday, the judge slapped a Rs 50,000 fine on Islam, and an additional two and half year jail term in case of a default, adding that as per existing laws, life sentence signified jail term till death.

Islam was sentenced to jail for ten years and fined Rs 20,000 for dacoity and another ten year prison term and Rs 10,000 fine for criminal conspiracy.

All the sentences will run concurrently.

He was also handed out five year and three year rigorous imprisonment respectively for manhandling and sexually harassing another woman.

Gopal Sarkar was sentenced to 10 years in jail and fined Rs 10,000 for being involved in the conspiracy, and a prison term of seven years and Rs 10,000 fine for sheltering the other accused.

The other four accused – Milan Sarkar, Ohidul Islam, Mohammad Salim Shaikh and Khaledul Rahman – were sentenced to rigorous imprisonemnt for ten years and fined Rs 30,000 each. In default of the fine, there will be another two and half year prison term.

The judge decreed that each of the convicts would have to give half of the fine to the victim. If the victim, leading a spiritual life, refused to take the money, then the amount would have to be handed over to the order with which she was attached.

Five of the accused pleaded for lenient sentences, but the prosecution opposed it.

Rejecting the plea for leniency, the judge said not only was the victim sexually assaulted, the nun’s inner soul was injured. The way a nun’s entire being was assaulted, it called for maximum punishment.

The incident occurred on March 2015 when the 72-year-old nun was raped inside the Jesus and Mary Convent in Nadia district’s Ranaghat close to the Bangladesh border. The criminals also took away cash and other belongings from the institute.

The CID, which took charge of the case, arrested six persons in the crime, while one accused is still absconding.